Teen Book Reviews

Divine Rivals is an enchanting novel that surpassed my expectations. The writing is magical and quickly captured my attention. It’s about Roman and Iris who work together as journalists in the fantasy town of Oath competing with each other for a promotion. A war between gods rages on in the distance—a war that Iris’s brother left to fight in. Because of a magical connection, the letters which Iris writes to her brother have made their way to Roman who one day decides to write her back, but she doesn’t know that the boy she connects with over those letters is actually her rival.

In Divine Rivals, you’ll hear the clicking of a typewriter. You’ll feel the slight bumps of the train you’re on. You’ll see the perilous front lines of a dangerous war. You’ll taste the warm tea the characters are sipping. You’ll smell the ink still fresh on the paper of a newly delivered love letter. The book is a special mix of happy, cozy moments as well as terrifying, heart-racing ones.

I absolutely loved the relationships between Iris and Roman. Their banter is so fun to watch, and every moment between them was electric. I never wanted them to be apart because the book was so much better when they were together. The other characters were interesting enough, but none of them really caught my attention.

The beginning of the book didn’t feel much like a fantasy, it was more like a made up town in the past. While I loved that setting in Oath, it did make some of the fantasy aspects kind of strange because I would forget that I was reading a fantasy. As well as that, the myths and lore of the war tended to bore me because I didn’t care about that as much as I did the two main characters. However, as the book progressed, it dove into the fantasy much more, and I really enjoyed it. I thought the pacing was pretty good and even in the moments where not as much was happening, I was still very invested.

Overall, the book is not without its flaws, but it’s still an excellent read. I loved the settings, the writing, and the main characters a lot!

Reviewer Grade: 10

Who was the real killer of Andy Bell? Was it her boyfriend or was it someone you would never think of. Well reading this book was one of the best times I could hardly put it down. I loved how we got to help solve it in away and there was never a mount that u never had something to ask. Like who was the killer? if not who? and why did they do it? There are just so many good things about the book. The only bad thing is you never get sleep cause you can't put it down.

This book is the best YA mystery book I have read in a long time! This book follows a seventeen year old girl named Cassie Hobbes, who had been recruited to work for a Secrate CIA department as a profiler. As a murder starts killing more and more people Cassie and her team start to dig into the case, but as they do, this case starts connecting more and more to Cassie. This is an amazing book and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes mystery.

Great book keeps you on your toes with a jaw dropping ending.

BANG is a novel about a 14 year old boy named Sebastian Cody, who has a dark secret. At the age of just four years old, Sebastian shot and killed his baby sister. Now, ten years later, he has to live with the guilt and horror of the past
When a Muslim girl, Aneesa, moves to Brookdlae and becomes a close friend and neighbor, Sebastian spends the entire summer with Aneesa, showing her around Brookdale when they eventually start a pizza making youtube channel. All this summer fun almost becomes an escape from suicidal thoughts. After school starts, Sebastian isn’t able to distract himself from his thoughts, now that he isn’t spending all day with Aneesa. After a few weeks at school, bullies start to poke and prod, and Sebastian eventually makes the decision to end it. His plan was to kill his father, (who had moved out, Sebastian thinking it was abandonment) and then himself.
Of course the book ends in a “happily ever after” way, but it still has that “good book feeling” when you are finished.This book is a really interesting story about Sebastian's thoughts, whether it be from the past, his friends, and his family life. One of the best singular books I’ve ever read, but don’t listen to me, go read it for yourself and find out.

The Darkest Minds focuses solely on our main character, Ruby, a strong-willed, cautious girl who goes through major character growth and development throughout the book. Well, Ruby and the people she meets on her journey of staying alive when the world turns against teens due to a harmful mysterious virus that removed most of the child population. While Ruby did survive, she lost something almost as bad as her life, her parents. After being locked in a garage she was then sent to Thurmond--a brutal government rehabilitation camp of sorts that is far from its title by her own parents. On her journey, looking for stability she runs into Zu, a meek, sweet, and unsettled young girl around her age, presumably around 14. Chubs, the brains of the group and honestly incredibly mature, and finally Liam, a Southern seemingly fearless courageous leader. This memorable group of strong teenagers makes an impact that even they don't know they'll make in this book. I decided to read this book because some years ago when the movie came out I watched it with my brother and I loved it and wished that there was a sequel so I decided to read the entire series because I wanted some closure and I did not regret it.
What did you like about the book? I loved the well-written tight-knit teen relationships and slow-burn romance in this book. The personalities are pretty believable for the characters and I genuinely enjoyed the dialogue and internal thoughts that were portrayed.
There is a lot I like in this book, however of course there are some things I didn't like so much. For example, some events in the book feel a bit dragged out and some others are too short for the emotional weight of some situations that occur. Meaning they could use more explanation or information on the gravity of the event on people around them. If you're thinking "Hm, should I read this book? I would definitely say you should. I thought that this book was a nice read, especially on a day when It's raining and maybe it's later in the day. However, there are some situations that Ruby finds herself In that contain sensitive topics and I'd certainly recommend looking deeper into that on maybe a parental guidance website or another website of that sort if you have a sensitivity or trauma with that kind of thing that I will fail to mention in this review. Overall, The Darkest Minds Is a good read if you want a dystopian teen book with some romantic elements and combat elements. It reminds me of Divergent a bit however it is definitely its own thing and it has its sad moments but it is something you'd have to read on your own to really understand what it is like. When you start reading, you just can't put the book down at a certain point so it keeps your attention. Sometimes I wish I could read this book for the first time again, so make the most of it!

At first I didn’t want to read The Outsiders because at the time I didn’t like reading. But my language arts teacher was going to test us on it after winter break so I read it. When I read it I fell in love with the characters and felt like i belonged in the story. The book is about a town divided by wealth and status. The wealthy kids are called soc’s and the less fortunate kids are called greasers. The book tells the story of a greaser boy named Ponyboy Curtis who narrates the story. Ponyboy is the main character and he tells us about him and his gangs home lives and how they started as 7 friends and ended as 5 friends. Ponyboy lives with his two older brothers Sodapop and Darry. Ponyboy lives with his brothers because his parents died in an auto wreck 8 months before the story begins. As a result of their parents not being with them, Darry works two jobs to provide for his brothers, and Sodapop is a high school dropout who works full time at the DX gas station. The book has taught me a lot of good life lessons and I’m glad I read it. It’s my favorite book and because I read it I bought some of S.E Hintons other books.

What was once known as the western half of the United States, is now known as a separate country called the republic, a plague-infested land at war with its eastern neighbors, the colonies. This book is an action filled adventure, going through the first person thoughts and actions of each character, let’s dive in.
The book starts out centered on a 15 year old boy named Day. Day is a national criminal after failing his trial (a test that all children have to take once their 10) and being a nuisance to the republic, downing fighter jets, and such. Each chapter switches between Day and June, already a military prodigy at the age of 15 years old. After Day steals plague suppressants from a hospital for his dying younger brother, he supposedly kills June's older brother, Metias, to escape. After June hears of this, she is desperate to avenge her brother's death, so she goes on an undercover mission in the slum sectors of Los Angeles, hoping to find information on Day. After coming across an illegal, underground fighting ring, (a skiz fight) she is pushed into the ring, where Tess (Day's acquaintance) saves her. Since Day and Tess' identities are unknown, June has no idea that Day is her savior, and travels around the city with them. After finding a clue that "the boy" is Day, Tess follows him and gives away his position to her superiors, leading to Day's capture. In the streets, the two became quite close, and Day told June that he believes the Republic uses the Republican people as lab rats for testing their plagues, before using them against the Colonies.
In conclusion, I think this book lives up to the review I gave it. I loved how every chapter ended with a cliffhanger, keeping the lights on late into the night. Definitely one of the best singular books I've ever read, but don't take my opinion, go read it for yourself!

In doing research for book based on the Ancient Puebloan society that used to inhabit the Mesa Verde cliff dwellings, I came across this book. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed was an eye-opening examination of the factors that can lead to the destruction of a society that could have continued being successful if it weren't for poor resource management. What's frustrating is seeing some of these things becoming prominent in modern society, 20 years after Jared Diamond wrote this book.

While the book covers some case studies where the society identified the problem and moved to fix it, some examples Diamond gives are based on speculation—which one has to do with limited information surviving from those eras. And even though there is an emphasis on environmental factors, sometimes a string of bad years of drought is just the luck of the climate. Unfortunately, while there were hopeful stories of communities who turned away from their destruction, these examples all had one thing in common: the leaders chose to save their society.

I appreciated how relatable Diamond made this text. It wasn't overly academic, but it provided enough details to weave a story that was easy to follow. The cause-and-effect scenarios he presented made sense and provided sensible explanations that the limited data set appears to support. The problem is, even with this knowledge, seeing the path our current society is headed down does not instill the confidence that humanity has what it takes to save itself at the individual level. Of the societies on the brink that survived, their leadership needed to step in to stop the poor resource management. When there's no financial motivation to save the world, the current system seems on track to collapse sooner rather than later.

An approachable and eye-opening look at the factors that brought down empires, I give Collapse 4.0 stars out of 5.

Having already watched the 2018 movie adaptation of Annihilation , I knew going into this book that it would be quite the trip. My expectations were mostly set on what was going to happen in this book, but not on how the author would convey these events. I was pleasantly surprised with something that felt just as disorienting. Told in the first-person perspective, Annihilation messes with the concept of an unreliable narrator in a way that I haven’t ever seen before. The real question is whether I understand anything now that I’ve seen the movie and read the book.

There’s a melancholy present in Annihilation that almost borders on nihilism. The way the main character seems to float through this world, carrying her trauma and relational scars around in an eerily monotonous and emotionless manner, is both unsettling and oddly comforting. Was this her attempt at obtaining closure? Did she want to find somewhere she truly belonged? Whatever the reason, she is propelled forward by forces outside her control, and she doesn’t resist any of the alien influence.

The prose in Annihilation is truly the star of the show here. Other writers might try to take a more scientific approach when dealing with aliens, but VanderMeer leans into the disorienting nature of Area X. I’ve been drunk a few times, but never high enough to hallucinate like this. Several times I had to stop and re-read a page to understand what was happening. Once I turned my mind off and let the words flow through me, I had a much more enjoyable time in this book. I don’t know if I’ll get through the rest of the trilogy, but this one was worth the read.

A trippy hallucination of a novel, I give Annihilation 4.0 stars out of 5.

The Infinity Particle is about a futuristic world where humans have colonized Mars and have advanced technology. Clementine is a young girl who has just moved to Mars to get a start at a new life. She is working with her hero, as she is one of the most talented people to work in the field of robotics. On her first day, her and her personal robot SENA meet Kye, a personal humanoid robot built by Clem’s hero. Soon, Clem finds out her hero is not who she believed her to be, and Kye is malfunctioning. Clem and Kye have to work together to solve this mystery, and in doing so, they unearth both Clem and Kye’s troubled pasts, and they grow closer together. It’s a great book!

Continuing the passionate Giver series, Lois Lowry’s masterpiece “Messenger” is a book for the ages. As Matty, the lovable child from Kira’s town, has grown and changed in his new home, Village, his home has begun to change with him. Village is a place of acceptance and supports all that come to live there— or was, until recently. A darkness is creeping toward the small village through the surrounding forest, and the people have begun to turn on their old, kind ways. As Village threatens to close, Matty must do what no other can — to find Kira and bring her back safely.
Filled with an electric mix of mystery, suspense, and emotion, Messenger is able to explore complex emotions and develop character’s personalities while still incorporating the eternal struggle of good vs evil. Shocking plot twists and vivid imagery add to this book’s intense depth and perspective. It is definitely worth the read if only just for the ending.

When I first opened the novel, I had idea what to expect and I didn’t even if I knew I would like the book, but that quickly changed when I became addicted to the story. With an incredible mix of action and adventure, Drew Karpyshyn’s novel: “Darth Bane: Path of Destruction” is hard to beat. Readers join an Outer-Rim miner named Dessel on his journey to morph into his true self: Darth Bane. I personally enjoyed how Drew worded this book, with specific, yet easy to read details. Alongside a captivating storyline, there is nearly non-stop Star Wars action. If any readers thirst for a special Star Wars book that does not sacrifice action with dialogue, I would highly suggest Darth Bane: Path of Destruction.

(Hungry for more Drew? Check out the sequel of this book: Darth Bane Rule of two!)

“The Giver” is a book that really stands out in a crowd. In this enchanting tale by Lois Lowry, a two-time Newberry Medal winner, a young boy named Jonas lives in a perfect society. There is no pain. No sickness. No hunger. However, when he is assigned to his job in the Community, he is singled out and given a special job. Suddenly, everything is different. Jonas is able to see things- feel things- in a way that he never has before. Can Jonas find the flaws that he was blind to before and restore life to his Community? For those who like slow, thought provoking stories, The Giver is a gem to keep on your bookshelf. Plus, it is one of four moving chapters in a quartet that avid readers are sure to enjoy.

"Powerless" by Lauren Roberts is perfect for those who are huge fans of the Hunger Games series or the Red Queen series. This book involves magic, finding yourself, romance, and always, betrayals. This book will always have you on the edge of your seat and hook you from the beginning.
Paedyn Gray is an ordinary, lowlife, powerless (pun intended) thief discreetly blending in with the rest of her cruel kingdom who hates anyone just like her. Kai Azer is an elite, powerful, charming prince who has trained his entire life to hunt down people just like her. Then Paedyn gets thrown into the Purging Trials with him. The trials is a showoff to the kingdom of Ilya what powerful Elites that they have, a game practically. But Paedyn doesn't have any powers, so now she has to pretend to be psychic in front of the whole kingdom and fight her way to the top, avoiding getting killed.
This book is so good! The banter between Kai and Paedyn is to die for. It also has 2 POV so you get the ins and out of each side of the story. From the Loot, to the castles, to the arenas in the game, you will feel like your there yourself. This is also perfect those who want an easy flowing read, where there are no "boring" parts.

Reviewer Grade: 9

“The Clue is in the Pudding” by Kate Kingsbury is a delightful read for those who enjoy a delicious mix of bone-chilling mystery and delightful drama. In it, Cicily Baxter, owner of the Pennyfoot Hotel, is hoping to have a very merry Christmas this year. She is planning on entertaining her guests at her annual Christmas party in order to draw in business. Alas, not everything is going as planned. Her head maid has gone to visit family, and the replacement is the most opinionated, fussy, and unfriendly person she has ever met. She causes all sorts of trouble with the rest of her staff. When things seem unable to get any worse, a guest dies mysteriously in his room, and the new maid is chief suspect. However, things are not exactly what they seem, and motives begin popping up left and right amongst the guests. Can Cicily sniff out the murderer before Christmas arrives? As part of the Pennyfoot Hotel series, it may require some thinking from the reader to fill in the holes of the characters’ backgrounds if they have not read any of the other books. The plot is somewhat long, but it is worth it once the end comes! For readers who like romance, suspense, and drama all in one, this book is sure to be a real treat!

The Portrait by Nikolai Gogol is one of his best short stories centering around a penniless artist, Chartkov, struggling to make his name in the art world and finds himself entranced by a portrait he buys at a merchant shop. With a steely face, build of a giant, and eyes that seem to pierce the soul, the portrait that he buys on an impulse at a run-down shop carries a mystery with it that haunts Chartkov both in his waking hours and in his sleep. As he is overcome by his financial difficulty, the strange portrait that he stashed away for fear of its gaze changes his life forever. With flowing imagery and an intrinsic description of human nature and its afflictions, The Portrait latches onto the reader’s heart and presents them with a fascinating account of Chartkov and his peculiar encounter with the portrait with uncanny realism and blended fantasy.

I have heard mixed reviews about this book so I kept a neutral expectation for it. This book completely broke my standards. The magic, lore, and world in the this book is so unique, creative and perfectly easy to understand and be captivated by. There were some points where I was slightly bored but I’m ever so glad I stuck through because when it did get dramatic, oh did it get dramatic. This book is perfect for those who like an equal mix of fantasy and romance and a small portion of action, of course.
The female main character is totally relatable especially for those who can relate to the role of the cautious yet extremely caring older sibling. Scarlett risks everything for her sister and she has such a big heart. Scarlett’s decisions will have you on the edge of your seat, because in this book it’s hard to forget that everything is just an act.
Speaking out for the hopeless romantics, the two main male characters, Dante and Julian, are everything! I swear I blushed a couple times because of them. The story wouldn’t be nearly the same without them.
This book will forever be engraved in my memory. You will never forget the feeling of the magical world inside Caraval and Isla de los Suenos. Even though it wasn’t 5 stars, this will definitely be in my top books of the year.
I didn’t quite understand the intensity of this repeated quote but always keep in mind, “remember it’s only a game”.

Reviewer Grade: 9

Nikolai Gogol's "The Overcoat" is a simple yet intriguing story of a man set upon buying a new overcoat despite his poverty-stricken life. Enamored with his job of copying documents at the office, Akaky never takes notice of the world around him, even when all the other workers around him gibe at his love for something so mundane as replicating documents and the intense manner of which he regards this dull job. However, he is sharply brought into reality when winter brings frigid weather, and he realizes his threadbare and tattered overcoat simply will not sustain Russia's winter. He begins his speculations into buying a new overcoat with as much zeal as he puts into his office work, yet he hardly expects what the future holds both for him and his overcoat. Both amusing and thought-provoking, Nikolai gives the reader insight into the life of an eccentric office worker laboring during the harsh winter and successfully blends farce comedy with blunt realism to create a short story that stirs the emotions and leaves the reader satisfied.

I began this book because I was interested in the author, Osamu Dazai, as some of his life and feelings were reflected in this work of literature. Overall, I enjoyed the perspective that Yozo brings on both life and humanity.

No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai is a fictional story that follows the main character, Oba Yozo, throughout his tumultuous life as he feels estranged from humanity and those around him. Yozo as a child yearns for something in life which he cannot find in the untruthful and utilitarian way that the people he is surrounded by choose to live. As he searches for what it is to be an authentic human being while battling his own disconnect from society, his view on life as a whole changes. As time progresses Yozo’s life takes a bold path, highlighted by his erratic behavior in order to “qualify as a human” as he enters college, still struggling with his fear of exposure and masking his true nature under a comedic facade. The way that Yozo is characterized brings forth a layer of depth and instills a deeper understanding of both him and human nature through his perspective. The book touches on many themes that are prevalent even in our modern-day world such as alienation from society and individual struggle of expression as well as fear of being ostracized. The story of Yozo and his wayward life is intriguing, and I think that one of the reasons that it is still widely read and appreciated both in the West and in Japanese literature is because Yozo brings out the things in people which often are hidden away, revealing some of what it is to be human. His account as he goes through life also adds a refreshing take to things often perceived as mundane, inviting the reader to muse upon them and form their own opinion themselves. However, I was not able to fully enjoy the book because of the overly cynical view it took on life especially towards the end of the story which I believe is a reflection of the author’s similarly deteriorating life.